New Haven, CT May Bill Insurers For Fire Dept. Services

[x635 4,066]

City may bill insurers for Fire Dept. services

Published: Tuesday, June 9, 2009

By William Kaempffer, Register Staff

NEW HAVEN — Looking for new revenue streams in difficult economic times, the city administration wants to bill insurance companies for Fire Department services.

Projected revenue is still a loose estimate, but the program could generate between $50,000 and $300,000 a year, city officials have said.

“Let’s say (we) were to respond to a serious motor vehicle accident with five guys on the (heavy rescue) squad, an engine company with four and emergency company with two. That’s 11 people tied up on the highway for an extended period of time. Lighting, extrication, damaged equipment,” said Rick Fontana, deputy director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management, who also helped establish a separate program to bill medical insurance carriers for services rendered by fire paramedics. “There’s a means to recover some of those lost funds.”

FULL STORY: http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/06...firebilling.txt

[IzzyEng4 427]

My home department has been doing this for a few years now with motor vehicle accidents and so far its is working well.

[CFFD117 19]

not a bad idea, but say the jaws get damaged and need to be replaced, would the money that the insurers get billed for cover the replacement cost?

[IzzyEng4 427]

not a bad idea, but say the jaws get damaged and need to be replaced, would the money that the insurers get billed for cover the replacement cost?

I know it would be covered initally by the department's insurance company to replacement but that would be a really good question to look up if they(the other insuance company) could be billed for replacement.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Just to play devil's advocate, isn't that what taxes are for?

[JM15 386]

City officials stressed the program would not bill individuals for services, only insurance companies, most of which, they say, already include that coverage in policies.

The answer that you were looking for Sage?

[IzzyEng4 427]

Just to play devil's advocate, isn't that what taxes are for?

Taxes are to provide the towns people with adequate protection. This if for the young kid driving 100 mph on the highway that crashes into a 8,000 gallon tanker truck carrying corrosive liquids causing the tanker's contents to spill out.

Are your taxes going to pay for cleanup and replacement of the haz-mat gear utilized or should the kid and his insurance company be hit up for it?

You decide.......................begin devils advocate of course man, not trying to pick a fight.

[helicopper 1,050]

If insurance companies can be tapped to help reduce the burden on taxpayers as a whole, why not bill them? It's almost like a fee for service, isn't it?

[Remember585 815]

I'm still waiting for a community to start billing an owner for the water needed to put out a fire...

If it is a legitimate accident, I don't know if billing someone is the right thing to do, however if someone is reckless, careless or negligent which causes a fire or an accident, then by all means go ahead and make them pay for their actions. If someone is found guilty of the same which results in the death of a firefghter and can get jail time, why not enforce insurance billing and / or fines.... perhaps people will take some more responsibility.

[FD828 77]

I also believe that Waterbury Fire is also doing this.

[Guest FFNick]

We've been billing for some time. It is legal, and there are insurance regulations in place that allow it. If your FD does it or not is there choice. In departments that have tight budgets and a lotta runs, it can make sense. The problem is whether or not the jurisdiction takes those collected funds and puts them back into the FD budget. But that's for another conversation.

Consider it a usage fee if it makes it easier to understand. Use the local park? Do you pay a fee? Send your kid to town camp? Do you pay a fee? Take a ride on an ambulance to the hospital? Do you pay a fee? Got a dog? Pay a fee for a dog license?

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Good points, like I said, I was just asking. Another question about FD recoupment of lost supplies, funds. Don't the OSHA SARA/Superfund/etc. laws require the spiller to reimburse the municipality?

[IzzyEng4 427]

Good points, like I said, I was just asking. Another question about FD recoupment of lost supplies, funds. Don't the OSHA SARA/Superfund/etc. laws require the spiller to reimburse the municipality?

I have never heard of that before. I don't believe so. That is only for site clean up for manufacturing I believe. I'm not 100% on that though.

[Bnechis 3,961]

I have never heard of that before. I don't believe so. That is only for site clean up for manufacturing I believe. I'm not 100% on that though.

Its not OSHA SARA/Superfund its EPA Sara title III / Superfund and the law requires that all spillers pay ALL costs associated with the spilling of "their" property. They law says that the owner of the chemical is responsible for it from craddle to grave.

We have been very sucsessful in billing under this. a very small spill will generate a $7,000 - $12,000 bill. A few years ago Getty oil spilled 6,000 gallons (approx) of gasoline on main street. We billed them about $86,000 they initially said they would pay only $8,000. We told them we would see them in court and would add all legal cost to the bill. They ended up paying 90% and we accepted to avoid a long drawn out court battle. Its the 1st time we had to fight for it, most times we get a check within a week.

[Guest EFFP411]

I'm still waiting for a community to start billing an owner for the water needed to put out a fire...

If it is a legitimate accident, I don't know if billing someone is the right thing to do, however if someone is reckless, careless or negligent which causes a fire or an accident, then by all means go ahead and make them pay for their actions. If someone is found guilty of the same which results in the death of a firefghter and can get jail time, why not enforce insurance billing and / or fines.... perhaps people will take some more responsibility.

Funny you should mention that, there are quite a few hydrants that run through my town that for some time, had locks on them, and the county wanted to bill the dept. i believe 5 bucks per 1000 gallons of water. And they told us to bill the homeowner of the house that just burned for the water used! It was quite a ridiculous fiasco for a while but i do believe the issue has been resolved since....